Keegan Murphy thought he outgrew his childhood stutter, until a traumatic event triggered its return. Not only does Keegan share his experience with his stuttering popping back up unexpectedly, but he also talks about the challenges and frustrations of stuttering in corporate America and how seeking professional help transformed his view on his stutter and helped get him out of his deep depression. Keegan is now doing stuttering advocacy within his workplace by creating an employee resource...

Isaac Bailey is a stutterer, author, and professor. His book, 'My Brother Moochie', details his family's struggles after his eldest brother was sentenced to life imprisonment. Isaac talks about growing up poor, black, and with a stutter in the South, his traumatic family history, and his realization that being a stutterer is a part of his identity rather than an impediment. He also opens up about how he turned to writing, as it granted him a different way of sharing his voice.  Isaac offers...

Steven Anthopoulos is the director and writer of “Voice Activated,” a short film that has won 11 awards, a Tribeca selected film, and is eligible for an Academy Award. Steven talks about how he got the idea for his film, which revolves around a florist with a stutter interacting with a voice-activated car, and how filmmaking has helped him accept his stutter and face it head on. Watch Voice Activated, Steven's award-winning film Buy Tickets for Proud Stutter's Community Comedy Night ft....

Julian Benabides is Proud Stutter’s special guest, and he just happens to be Maya’s neighbor. Julian talks about his experience stuttering in foreign countries and what it’s been like collaborating on Proud Stutter’s comic book called "My Stutter: Life of Verbal Turbulence." Maya and Julian also talk about their experience door knocking in their neighborhood to spread the word about Proud Stutter’s annual gala. Buy Tickets for Proud Stutter's Community Comedy Night ft. Nina G Where: Peacock...

Steven Tallas might stutter in the human world, but in the dog world, he is completely fluent. Maya speaks with Steven about his journey to becoming a professional dog trainer and how he never let his stutter get in the way of his dreams. Jay Feinstein, the co-host for this episode, is a Senior Podcast Producer for WBUR, Boston's public radio station. Buy Tickets for Proud Stutter's Community Comedy Night ft. Nina G Where: Peacock Lounge/San Francisco When: Thursday, December 7, doors open...

Kai Caragenis is a father of a young girl. In this bonus episode of Proud Stutter, he shares his feelings around being adequate enough to be a father, how the King’s Speech changed his relationship with his stutter, and how breathing techniques helped his speech. Host & Producer: Maya Chupkov Save the date (12/7/2023) for Proud Stutter’s 1st Annual Gala + Community Comedy Event in San Francisco Support Proud Stutter’s Mini Series Crowdfunding Campaign  Support this podcast at —...

Maya is back to answer your questions ranging from TV shows, public speaking tips, navigating her stutter, and more.  Host & Producer: Maya Chupkov Editor: Quinn Greenhaus   Save the date (12/6/2023) for Proud Stutter’s 1st Annual Gala + Community Comedy Event in San Francisco Support Proud Stutter by becoming a recurring donor via Flipcause Vote for Proud Stutter to win a Signal Award for ‘Most Inspirational Podcast’ Listen to Maya talk about Star Wars on Trash Compactor Support this...

Jay Jordan and Jesse Vasquez are back on the pod this week. Jay talks about how his identity as a person who stutters intersects with his criminal record identity. Jesse and Jay both share a passion for de-stigmatizing the narrative surrounding people who are incarcerated and those that have come out of prison. You can listen to Part 1 of this episode here. Host: Maya Chupkov Guest Co-Host: Jesse Vasquez Guest: Jay Jordan Sound Designer: Leo Maymind Support Proud Stutter by making a...

Jay Jordan, a person who stutters, has devoted his life after incarceration to challenging the stigma surrounding criminal records. For the first time ever, Jay opens up publicly about what it was like serving seven-years in prison with a stutter. He talks about a life changing experience that led him to coming to terms with his stutter and his purpose.  Post-incarceration, Jay faced rejection when it came to jobs and getting an apartment. But Jay developed a high level of resilience with...

For this special bonus episode of Proud Stutter, Maya is rebroadcasting an episode from the Beyond Awareness podcast. Host Diana Pastora Carson interviews Maya and they talk about the intersections between inclusive education and supporting people who stutter in and outside the classroom. In this episode: Diana's TedTalk, "Walking with Joaquin," chronicles her family's journey to bring home her brother after living in an institution for 15 years.Proud Stutter's Virtual Art GalleryBeyond...

Blaise Ventura, a 20-year-old person who stutters, joins Maya to talk about blocking, his journey towards self-improvement, dating, and how FOMO can play into anxiety. Blocking is a form of stuttering that is extremely misunderstood and Blaise offers a unique perspective around his acceptance of his stutter that many people, especially young people, may find relatable. He also discusses his participation in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to change his thought patterns and reduce anxiety...

Using fashion as a form of self expression is one of the main topics in part 2 of Maya’s interview with Mia and Lila. Mia talks about how stuttering intersects with her multiple identities, such as being Chinese, an adoptee, and a college student. She emphasizes the importance of community support, including her family and friends, in helping her embrace her stutter and advocate for others. Other topics include advocating for disabilities, the power of sharing personal stories, and the power...

Mia Hitterman spent most of her childhood and teenage years hiding her stutter. It wasn’t until college that she discovered pageantry and finally found her community.  In this episode of Proud Stutter, Mia talks about how joining Miss Chinese Chicago helped strengthen her confidence, embrace every part of herself, and come out as a person who stutters. Our guest co-host is Lila Carrillo, a dear friend of Maya’s who told her about Mia after seeing her at a pageant contest in Chinatown in San...

A few months ago, the MLB released a video of 10 Year-Old Mateo Sanchez and professional baseball player George Springer. The special bond between these two was palpable. Also featured was father Jesse Sanchez. The MLB video was inspiration for this interview with both Mateo and father Jesse. Mateo, the show's youngest podcast guest, has been stuttering his entire life. In this special episode of Proud Stutter, Maya interviews Mateo and his father about both of their stuttering journeys -...

This episode is part 2 of Maya’s interview with Calvin and Roy. Calvin talks more in-depth about his relationship with his stutter, including how he deals with triggers. He also talks about goal setting helps him accept his stutter and tricks he uses when public speaking. You can follow Calvin Williams, Jr on Instagram and Savage Truth Podcast here. In this EpisodeInterest form to join the career network for college students who stutter Support this podcast at —...

Having friends who can help see your true potential is a gift. Part 1 of my conversation with Calvin Williams, Jr. and Roy Dockery talks about friendship and the importance of having people around you that lift you up.  Calvin Williams, Jr is a person who stutter and an entrepreneur and founder of Freeman Capitol. How has Calvin navigated his stutter while running a successful fintech company? We talk about his daily rituals and how he balances his busy schedule and self-care. He also talks...

Today’s episode is Part 2 of my conversation with Benedict Sheehan, a person who stutters, and Talia Sheehan, his wife. We talk about the different forms of speech therapy Benedict has tried over the years, from fluency shaping to acceptance. Benedict changed the way he looked at his stutter after his speech therapist gave him the option to work towards hiding their stutter or becoming a better stutterer, and he chose the latter. We also talk about his recent ADHD diagnosis, and how it has...

Benedict Sheehan is a Grammy-nominated conductor and composer who stutters. His wife, Talia Sheehan, is a professional vocalist and musical educator. In this episode, we talk about the psychology behind people’s responses to stuttering and how people who don’t stutter can be stronger allies for people who stutter. This episode is part one of a two-part conversation with the Sheehans. Additionally, host Maya talks about California's resolution to recognize Stuttering Awareness Week and plans...

For this special bonus episode of Proud Stutter, Maya is rebroadcasting an episode from the TheeClutterQueen podcast. Host Simone Robinson interviews Maya and they talk about the intersections between cluttering and stuttering, their very different experiences with speech therapy, public speaking during class, problematic headlines in the media, thinking you can’t do certain things because of speech dysfluency, and more! What small thing can you do this week to support Proud Stutter? Add a...

Did you know there is a vibrant stuttering community on Reddit? Cynthia Chin, Season 1 co-host, is back on the pod doing a second round of going through stuttering subreddit posts. Our first Stuttering Subreddit episode is our most listened-to episode, so let's dive in. What kinds of posts do we talk about on the Stuttering Subreddit? We dig into college presentations, being labeled the quiet-type, clinging onto relationships, and funny stuttering moments. What small thing can you do this...

Steff Lebsack, a speech language pathologist, grew up with a brother who stutters. When she developed a neurogenic stutter later in life, she accepted it right away. In this new episode, we talk about Steff and her journey in juggling multiple disabilities, including lung disease, the power of language in gaining self-acceptance, and the importance of owning your story. Our guest co-host is Tiffany Yu, CEO & Founder of Diversability, and host of Tiffany & Yu Podcast. Do you want to...

Johnnie Pina does not let his stutter get in the way of being a successful lobbyist where public speaking is a main part of his job. Joining us is Alexandra Leal, host of Democracy Is, a podcast from California Common Cause. We discuss the importance of community in building confidence and overcoming public speaking fears. We also talk about the local resolution process and how it can be used to generate public awareness.  Stuttering visibility and acceptance in local communities can have a...

Navigating the ups and downs of being a teenager is hard enough. Adding living with a stutter to the already existing anxieties and insecurities we go through can make things even more difficult.  Priya is a 17-year old living in Sydney, Australia. She is filling a much needed gap in the stuttering community: creating and sharing content around stuttering for her fellow teenagers who stutter from all over the world. We talk about her new podcast, Stutter Conversations, and how she got to...

As a young child, Stevie Soul used his stutter to his strength when he started arranging repetitive sounds into beats and patterns. We talk to Stevie about his journey to becoming an Award-winning beatboxer and an independent, multimedia producer. I am joined by Andrew Menegat, a former teacher who is now working in EdTech. The guide for this episode, with resources, transcript, show notes, and more, can be found here: www.proudstutter.com/proud-stutter-season-2-episode-11 Mentioned in this...

Journalist John Hendrickson spent most of his life ignoring the elephant in the room, his stutter. We talk about what it was like going back in time, dating, and ask questions from Proud Stutter listeners. His upcoming memoir is Life On Delay: Making Peace With A Stutter. The guide for this episode, with resources, transcript, show notes, and more, can be found here:  www.proudstutter.com/proud-stutter-bonus-8-9 Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/proud-stutter/exclusive-content